New Jersey Devils: 5 Must-See Games In The Second Half Of The Season
By Nick Natale
The All-Star festivities are here. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are strutting around Toronto in their New Jersey Devils jerseys while the rest of the team rests up for a final push for the playoffs. The Devils currently sit seven points back of a Wild Card spot and five points behind the Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division. Through 47 games, they've accumulated 51 points, but with a strong second half, the playoffs are within reach.
Not a whole lot went right through the first 47 games. Whether it be wildly inconsistent play, a comical amount of injuries, or recently more serious allegations, the Devils are right in the thick of it despite all the adversity.
For the next 35 games, every one will feel like the most important game of the season. Every single point matters, and each game needs to be treated like a Game Seven. That being said, there are still many fun games on the schedule through all the stress and drama that's likely to unfold over the next two and a half months. Because of last year's success, the Devils will be put on the national scale down the stretch, leading to high stakes, high drama, and high entertainment. We decided to cherry-pick five of the next 35 games to look forward to the most as the Devils rev up for the postseason.
February 17 vs Philadelphia Flyers
It was the most anticipated game before the season started, and nothing has changed. It the first time the Devils will play outdoors since the 7-3 shellacking at Yankee Stadium in the Stadium Series game against the New York Rangers in 2014. The NHL rightfully banished the Devils from playing an outdoor game for a decade after that horrible display, but they're back.
It was a curious decision to have the Devils and Flyers play, and not the Devils and Rangers, but after a surprisingly great start to the season by the Flyers, the game's stakes have risen. The NHL recently released the jerseys that will be worn for the game in MetLife Stadium, to relatively positive feedback.
The Flyers sit inside a Metropolitan Division playoff spot, with the Devils trying to chase them down. On the ice, it should be a hard-fought contest between two teams desperate for points. Off the ice it's a fun experience for a Devils fanbase that is seldom put into the limelight like this.